Chapter Nine – Sabbath or Sunday in the New Testament?

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We have already seen that Christ’s custom was to enter the synagogue “on the sabbath day” (Luke 4:16). We also saw that He is “Lord of the sabbath” (Mark 2:28) and that He never changes (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8).

But what other New Testament evidence is there of Sabbath observance? Are there other passages revealing what day Paul kept—and what day he used to teach those Gentiles God was converting? Let’s examine a series of verses, first referenced in all capital letters.

Paul and Barnabas Teach on the Sabbath ACTS 13:14-15, 42-44 contains an account of Paul and Barnabas teaching Jews on the Sabbath: “But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue ON THE SABBATH DAY, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, You men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on” (Acts 13:14-15).

The account picks up in Ac 13:42: “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them THE NEXT SABBATH” (Acts 13:42). Why would he not tell them to just show up the next day—Sunday—instead of requiring them to wait an entire week, until the next Sabbath, for further instruction? The account says nothing of Paul telling the Gentiles that they no longer had an obligation to keep the Sabbath—that it had been done away. While one might suppose that the Jews still carried this obligation, why did Paul not at least explain to the Gentiles, in a message about the “grace of God,” that the Law had been nailed to the cross? He could have easily explained that the Sabbath was no longer binding in the New Testament era.

Notice verse 43: “Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the GRACE OF GOD” (Acts 13:43). But more time passed. People wanted to hear more of the “word of God.” Paul required everyone to wait another week—a second time. Another lost opportunity to point the Gentiles to Sunday. Now read: “And THE NEXT SABBATH DAY came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God” (Acts 13:44). “Continuing in the grace of God” meant learning to observe the Sabbath!

Gentiles Also Assemble on Sabbath

FROM THE FIRST CENTURY A.D.: These ruins, located in Capernaum, are built over the synagogue where Christ taught on the Sabbath day (Mark 1:21). These remains reflect what the synagogue may have actually looked like in Christ’s day. Source: Free Stock Photos

Source: Holy Land Photos

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